Friday, March 28, 2014

A: I am an actress working on two feature films currently in the UK , one in the States and one in Bollywood - I was a
former Bands and commercial Model.

2 Have you always wanted to be an entertainer or did you want to do something
else when younger?A: I thought my career path was to
become a TV presenter and I worked on many great presenting jobs - working and
interviewing Ruby Wax, Rankin (Royal Family Photographer), John Barnes etc.... but I got given an opportunity to have a small role in a movie and ended up
landing lead role so it all went from there in my acting career.

3 Are any of your family members or relatives entertainers?A: My cousin is a rap star in Dubai and
a really great break-dancer and my brother has a very witty, dry, funny, quick
personality - he could become a great comedian. But other than that no.

4 You are a model, actor, musician, dancer and photographer. Have you had
formal training in all these skills?A: I was a model and still do a small
amount of modelling but with limited time I am just concentrating on my acting
career - I had no training - had great feedback saying my emotions and
acting is raw and real so I'm glad I didn't have the formal training - but
I do wish I had speech training to have a range of accents as I can only do my
own accent which is strong Welsh accent.

6 Have you acted in any major productions or TV shows? And have you worked with
any big names?

A: I have worked on 'Molly Crows' - it's a
small Indie production but had amazing reviews and won Best Drama in Portobello
Film Festival and Moscow Film Festival.I have just signed for Dr Who largest
Fun Funded Production on the States so watch this space!

7 What sort of dancing do you enjoy?A: I love Bollywood dancing

8 Who and/or what are your inspirations?A: I adore strong business people who are creative and not afraid to make it
happen Simon Cowell,Richard Branson , Alan Sugar. But my main inspiration is my mum and family - they keep me positive, give me confidence and are my main support and
what I need to make it in this industry.

9 Are you professionally managed or do you represent yourself?A:I have an amazing manager and team: www.tanabi.co.uk - they are incredible and not a
sit down manager - he works very hard and believes in me 100%. I am so
grateful to be managed by such a wonderful team and company. I am in the
middle of having conversations for a USA Film/TV agent to add to my team.

10 What do you enjoy doing in your ‘spare’ time?A: Sleeping. Any free time I catch up on
my sleep, spend time with my beautiful dogs, catch up for dinner with my family
and friends - just catch up on social time,.

11 Have you ever been bullied?A: I had an incident which I was very
young - about 10 years old and it was 2 girls who decided to stab me with pencils
- I got taken to hospital as they made me bleed. Children can be very
cruel.

12 Whether you have been bullied or not, do you feel that the governments and
schools world wide are doing enough to try to combat this problem?A: Absolutely - I feel there is
more pressure on children these days - it's more materialistic if you don't have
the latest phone or the trendiest trainers then you are instantly a
target. I personally would like there to be a education training
programme for children to realise this is not how you should treat
others. The governments need to look at this closely. Where I live
in South Wales we had a problem in Bridgend with a large number of teenage
suicides - I believe this was down to bullying.

13 What more do you feel that the above could do to either try to decrease this
problem hugely or eliminate it altogether?A: It's just educating and having a
support network or group/charity that is accessible and known for the victims
to come talk to and for them to gain strengh through this.

14 On a personal level, is there anything you would like to do to help battle
bullying?A: Yes it is one of my goals - if I can
make a difference in helping others to understand this is a huge issue - I have
an idea for a Anti Bullying Programme.
15 What is on the agenda for 2014?A: - 4 x movies; - signing a USA Agent; - producing 2 x movies; - my own lingerie and bikini line
(launch).

16 Do you have a special message you would like to share with the world?A: Just love life - whatever you are
going through I feel it's for you to learn from and grow and strengthen you as a
person - be positive and see the light at the end of the tunnel if times are
tough!
17 Do you have any links you would like to include with this interview?

Monday, March 24, 2014

PLEASE WELCOME ANOTHER EXTREMELY INSPIRATIONAL AND TALENTED LADY WHO SEEMS TO HAVE IT ALL -

INTRODUCING CANADIAN ACTOR

AMANDA WOOD

1
Please tell us a little bit about your background;

A: I am a Canadian singer/songwriter from Vancouver, B.C.
I have always had a passion for entertainment and travel. I went to the University of Victoria on
scholarship for acting and musical theatre. I moved to Vancouver to pursue
acting in tv and movie and also started performing at local jazz clubs. Before
I knew it, I was booking International Jazz festivals and started recording my
own albums. I have now just completed my
first major studio album, having worked with world famous jazz musicians like
the Jeff Hamilton Trio and John Clayton Jr. It has been a dream come true. I am
currently singing in Hong Kong and performing around Asia.

2Did youu want to be something else when younger?

Have you always wanted to be in entertainment or did you aspire to be something else?

A: My dream has always been the same since I was a little
girl as young as kindergarten. I have
always wanted to entertain people and bring them joy through the arts.

3Are any of your family or relatives entertainers?

A:My grandmother was an amateur opera singer, and we
believe that is where my talent came from.

4You are an exceptionally talented young lady – being a
model, actor, musician, photographer and stylist. Are you formally trained in all of these?

A: I was scouted
at young age to start modelling professionally and I took lot’s of fun
modelling courses on how to walk on the catwalk and how to do professional
photo shoots. I always loved the chance
to get all dressed up! I always thought
it was a lot of fun and never took the modelling too seriously. I have been
training as an actor and working professionally since I was 14. The same goes
for music and I inherited my Mothers passion for photography and started taking
classes in high-school. I have a passion for design and style and have had the
pleasure of styling my own photo shoots as well as other friends projects.

5Are you managed professionally or do you represent
yourself?

A:I work with multiple agents from around the globe, but
have non-exclusive agreements with all of them. I am currently looking for the
right partner in a manger to help me take my career to the next level. Things
are so busy that I literally need someone to help “manage” things. I’m excited to be at this stage in my career,
but am careful to wait for the right person to partner with.

6Do you write your own songs and/or write for others –
or neither?

A: Yes, I love
to co-write songs for myself. I am very
social and love the opportunity for collaboration. My new album features 6
original songs, 4 of which I co-wrote.
Including the title track, “My Love.” I spent time in Nashville writing
with some of the best songwriters in the world. It was a very inspiring
experience.

7Have you ever worked with any very big names – other
than your own, I mean? Would you be able
to tell us about that?

A: Yes, I have been very honoured to perform with David
Foster on multiple occasions. He is from
the same home town of Victoria, B.C. and I have always looked up to him as a
mentor in the music industry! Michael
Buble was kind enough to call me and give me some life changing advice about
whether or not to accept a record deal. I’ve work with the multi Grammy award
winning Jeff Hamilton (Drummer for Diana Krall, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett)
Tamir Hendleman (Barbara Streisand’s musical director and pianist) John Clayton
Jr. (Bass player and arranger for Paul McCartney, Michael Buble, Diana Krall)
Gabriel Mark Hasselbach (Trumpet player and Juno and Smooth Jazz Award Winner )
Miles Black, Jodi Proznick, Rene Worst are all incredible and award winning
Canadian Jazz musicians.

8Have you ever appeared, with any of your talents, on
TV, film or stage?

A: Yes, I’ve been very blessed to perform in many
professional productions of both theatre and musical theatre. As well I have
many on camera acting credits. I have
not been as active with acting in the last few years, because my music has been
taking me all around the world. It’s
tough to get into the audition schedule, when I’m always out of town. Something
I’ve really enjoyed is voice over acting.
I do animation, video games, radio and tv ads, narration and
on-hold. It allows me to combine the
talents of my voice and acting abilities. You can see my full acting resume and
samples of my voice over demo reels on www.AmandaWood.com

9Who and/or what are your inspirations?

A: My inspirations are my parents, my husband and the
beautiful surroundings of my home in Vancouver, Canada. I am very inspired by the ups and downs of
great love stories and also in the acts of kindness we see sometimes in the world. I am inspired by International travel and the
exploration of different cultures.

10Have you ever been bullied?

A: I have, and it was a terrifying experience. I was hazed at the age of 15 by the older
boys and girls who were graduating from high-school that year. It was a
confusing experience, because we were being told that it was an “honour” to
chosen as the next “cool kids” but it was humiliating, physically painful and
degrading. We experienced being rounded
up like cattle, dangerously thrown into the back of an open aired truck bed,
hog tied, pelted with eggs at close range, covered with kitchen condiments,
forced to drink motor oil, forced to do all sorts of terrible things. At the
end of it we were left there and forced to walk for kilometres back up a steep
hill covered in a stinky mess, eyes stinging from the tears and a head full of
questions with no answers. I’ve also
experienced the pain of not being accepted or gossiped about, but I have also
always tried to stand up for those being bullied and whenever possible I have
tried to be an example of strength and a safe place for other kids to come to
when they feel they are being bullied.
As my self-confidence grew, I asserted myself and defended others
whenever the opportunity presented itself.

The other major experience I had with bullying was when
someone kept vandalizing my car. I was
friends with everyone at school and couldn’t imagine who would do this to me. I
had worked really hard for my little “Sprint” and was devastated when I came
out late in the evening after theatre rehearsal to find my car totally wrecked
in the parking lot. I remember the sun
was setting and my car was the only one there.
It had been keyed all over the wind shield wipers were ripped off, the
antenna broken and the word SLUT was keyed into the hood. I was paralyzed with
fear and shock. I was so humiliated to
drive the car home. I was so embarrassed for my parents to see the car and to
in any way think that the word slut held any truth. I didn’t even have a
boyfriend at the time and was a “good girl.” So the sting of that word cut
deeply. I had to raise the money to fix
the car through bottle drives and extra work and the day I brought my newly
fixed car back to school it happened all over again. I was devastated and the
thing that hurt my feelings the most was that I KNEW that other kids must have
witnessed it or knew through the rumour mill who had done it. About 8 years
later I received a facebook message from an old school mate apologizing for her
actions and confessing to it all. She
shared with me that she felt uncontrollable jealousy for my success in the
dance and theatre programs. She shared with me that she came from a broken
family where alcohol was destroying everything.
She was so angry at the time and used me as a target for her
frustations. We have since completely
mended everything, I shared with her how humiliating the experience was and
after she apologized I forgave her. It
was a tremendous weight off of both of our hearts. We are now supportive facebook friends and
enjoy being in each others lives.

11Whether you have been bullied or not, do you feel that
the governments and schools around the world are doing enough to try to combat
this problem?

A: I have friends whose kids have recently experienced
threats and acts of bullying and I have to say that the schools handled the
situation with incredible speed and they took it all very seriously. The tough thing is that we deal with it as
adults, but we need to remember the complexities around child psychology and
the hierarchy of the schools. It all
needs to be handled swiftly but also with a sensitivity to what is going to
happen after the kids are protected.

Unfortunatley there continue to be tragic cases of
bullying and two examples from my neck of the woods that will always stay with
me are the tragic murder of Reena Virk by her classmates and the silence of the
student body that followed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Reena_Virk

And the more recent events of Amanda Michelle Todd (born November 27, 1996, in British
Columbia)[2][3] committed suicide on October 10, 2012 at the age of 15 at her home in Port
Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada. Prior to her death, Todd
had posted a video on YouTube in which she used a series of flash cards to tell her
experience of being blackmailed, bullied and physically assaulted. The video
went viral after her death,[4] resulting in international media attention. The Royal
Canadian Mounted Police and British
Columbia Coroners Service launched investigations into the suicide.

I have become friends with Amanda’s mother and we are
hoping to work together on an event where I can sing and we can raise funds and
awareness for the Amanda Tood Legacy Fund. http://amandatoddlegacy.org

12What more do you feel the above could be doing to
either try to decrease this problem hugely or eliminate it altogether?

A: I think
sadly, bullying is a part of our human DNA.
It’s the “jungle” part of our reptile brain and only through
compassionate thinking, evolved and informed actions and excellent leadership
both at home and in the school systems can we hope to have both young and old
choose the higher road. If only we could
all follow the golden rule of “Treat others the way you would like to be
treated.”

The part of
the equation that is new and I’m not sure how we are going to handle it is the
cyber world. When I was going to school
we didn’t all have cell phones and facebook. We didn’t have access to Twitter
and photo shop. A rumour or embarrassing incident would erase with time or the
latest scandal in the hallways of the school. But now, once something is posted
it lasts forever…and that is a very long time. There is always more that can be done. We must continue to honour those that have been bullied in the past and to acknowledge the reality that this problem is not just going to “go away.” We must all do what we can and it starts on a macro level in our own backyards, homes, schools and work places. Being a part of a community really helps. Reach out and get to know one another. You are surrounded by loving and kind people, you just need to get to know one another.

13On a personal level, what do you feel you would like
to see being done to help in this fight?

A: I think there need to be more anonymous options for
bully reporting and more positive examples of “cool kids” showing leadership in
their acceptance and protection of everyone. This starts with great training in
the home. There really needs to be a zero tolerance in all schools and work
places.

14What is on the agenda for 2014?

A: I will be heading home after a successful tour of
shows in Hong Kong in April. I have
concerts and International festivals scheduled in Vancouver and all around B.C.
Other shows throughout the summer and fall are scheduled in Toronto, Washington
DC, Las Vegas, Mexico, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Thailand. I will be
releasing more videos from my latest albums on my youtube channel www.youtube.com/AmandaWoodMusic and will
also be officially releasing my Christmas Album online in November 2014!

15Do you have a special message you would like to share
with the world?

A: There is so much beauty in the world. Find a way to honour what is within you
through your own passion and do your best to leave the world a better place
than you found it. Love yourself and
then take that energy and spread it amongst all you meet. Travel and explore
both internally and internationally. We only get one chance at this life, make
the most of it.

16Is there anything further you would like to add?

A: I feel blessed and filled with gratitude to be able to
do what I love for a living and for the opportunity to spread joy and love through
my music. I hope that I will one day
meet you (the reader) and have you be a part of my audience. Remember to always
stand up for yourself and those around you. Do not be afraid to be different
for it is your uniqueness that allows you to shine most brightly.

17 Do you have any links you would like to have included
with this interview?

A: I am an
ambassador for the RAW beauty movement.
Please follow this link to see photos of me with no makeup and my
interview. I hope this is empowering for young women!

Sunday, March 16, 2014

PLEASE WELCOME WONDERFUL MELBOURNE ACTRESS & MODEL

LORE BURNS

1Please tell us a little bit about your background.

A: I was born accidentally in the UK when
my mother contracted preeclampsia; I was nine weeks early and very, very small.
We lived there for a few years when I was a kid before coming back to
Australia. I’ve been playing music all my life as well as studying theatre at
the Victorian College of the Arts and recently working on my first commercial
show: 'King Kong'. I am passionate about music, drama and social justice and I
also got engaged last December (my fiancé is a cartoonist)!

(Ed: CONGRATULATIONS to you both).

2Have you always wanted to be in entertainment or did
you want to do something else when you were younger?

A: I remember playing teacher when I was little and feeding my ‘students’
bubble gum flavoured lip-gloss as a reward and funnily enough I am now a music
teacher part time. However, I also remember the feeling I got in my first drama
lessons in primary school and my subsequent compulsion to write, perform and
compose music and drama. It’s been my dream for a long time now to make a
career out of the performing arts, but only recently have I plucked up the
courage to pursue it.

3Is anyone else in your family in entertainment?

A: My mother teaches violin as well as performing, and my father plays trumpet
in a big band and chamber orchestra in between work. My uncle is a professional
keyboard player and my other uncle is a bassoonist and composer. No one’s done
acting yet, though!

4
You are a model, actor and musician. Are you formally trained in these skills?

A: I’m formally trained in cello, piano, guitar, singing, composition and
theatrical production. Acting is something I have experience in, but am hoping
to undertake formal training very soon. Modelling is very new; I had to get
head shots for acting and the photographer asked if I’d be willing to do more
shoots with my cello, so now I’m pursuing artistic modelling as well (none of
that catwalk nonsense for me).

5
Have you ever worked with any ‘big’ names?

A: I recently worked on “King Kong” which involved some fantastic and
talented musical theatre people, including beautiful singer Esther Hannaford
and well-known actor and singer/songwriter Richard Piper.

6What do you enjoy doing in your ‘spare’ time?

A: I make a “Doctor Who” fan series for which I write, act, production
manage and compose. I also compose and record my own music and enjoy studying
psychology and physics alongside acting, writing and music.

7What and/or who are your inspirations?

A: I’m very inspired by “Doctor Who” orchestrator, conductor and composer in
his own right Ben Foster because he’s amazing and incredibly lovely. Obviously,
“Doctor Who” inspires me a lot too with its positive values, imagination and
humour. I also love German philosopher Nietzsche because he wasn’t afraid to
think for himself despite opposition and had a keen love of nature, despite
being perceived by the general public as harsh and elitist. And recently
Jennifer Lawrence because she’s a real person who hasn’t let fame ruin her,
plus she’s clumsy like me.

8Have you ever been bullied?

A: I was bullied in primary and early high school, mainly by older girls who
didn’t approve of my childishness or just didn’t like me/who I made friends
with. They called me names, dragged me around the schoolyard and the boys threw
things at me. It hurt, but I was fortunate enough to have a best friend in
primary school and a strong friendship group in high school as well as a loving
family. That’s the main reason why I was too scared to pursue acting; for so
long I felt unworthy and afraid.

9Whether you have been bullied or not, do you think the
governments and schools around the world are doing enough to try to combat this
problem?

A: The anti-bullying programs and spokespeople I see hearten me, but there
is always more to be done, especially in our media saturated society.

10What further do you feel the above could do to either
greatly decrease bullying or eliminate it altogether?

A: We encourage bullying in a certain sense through how we portray what the
‘perfect person’ is, which is completely unattainable without the aid of
editing software. So, from the outset we’re all bullied by the media, which in
turn encourages us to bully others who don’t fit the norm in order to feel
better about our own insecurities. Not to mention the progress we need to make
on gay/other sexuality rights and in accepting others (i.e. refugees). It’s all
about fear. We need to recognise that we’re naturally afraid of the unknown and
make an effort to be compassionate and understanding instead of lashing out or
believing in stereotypes.

11Is there anything you would like to do in this fight,
on a personal level?

A: I’m just one tiny person, but so is everyone else. If I can make one
other tiny person feel loved, then I’ll have made a difference. If I could, I
would love to give everyone who is struggling a big hug, but perhaps I’ll have
to settle for writing a song instead. Songs are like musical hugs, aren’t they?

12Are you professionally managed or do you represent
yourself?

A: I represent myself, although I am with a few talent agencies.

13What musical instrument do you play? Preferred genres?

A: I play (in order of proficiency) cello, piano, percussion, guitar, bass,
piano accordion, clarinet, mandolin, ukulele, violin, viola. I am classically
trained, but I also love rock, folk, electronic and world music. I’m a huge fan
of fusion, such as MUSE, or certain film soundtracks which combine live and
samples such as Hans Zimmer’s scores.

14What is on the agenda for 2014 for you?

A: It’s going to be a big year for me! I’ll be house-hunting, wedding
planning, playing in several bands on cello, recording a solo EP, teaching
music and pursuing acting and music as a career *gulp*.

15Do you have any special message you would like to
share with the world?

A: I want the world to know that there are many people who care and I am
one of them. We’re much quieter than the cries of the selfish and the
aggressive, but we’re here. And no matter who you are or what you’ve done or
had done to you, we will always listen and practice compassion. There are
people in your life who will too, even if you don’t know who they are yet;
sometimes being vulnerable takes the most strength.

16Is there anything further you would like to add?

A: Thank you for this opportunity and do let me know if there’s anything
else I can do!

17Do you have any links you would like to be included in
this interview?

About Me

Lannah was born in South Australia in 1955, and raised on "Pitcairn Station". Her primary education was provided by School of the Air and correspondence lessons, followed by boarding school in Adelaide. Later, she went on to hold a variety of positions in Adelaide and then in other states.
After travelling overseas she returned home via Western Australia and decided to settle there. Lannah and her husband, Stuart, have two daughters, Robyn and Fiona, both in their twenties.
Lannah works full time. She is passionate about her family, animals, the outback of Australia, and writing, among many other interests.